June 7- June 13, 2004

We had rain the first of the week but the weather slowly got better. We can finally get outside and get something done. I did house work, laundry and got things ready to go to Mom's. I left on Thursday and was gone the rest of the week.

Shawn drove truck all week and did chores while I was gone. He got the cows moved back to the big pasture and the horses moved back to theirs. He finished rock picking for now and is ready to cultivate. Got the wheel line mover fixed enough to move but decided that we better get a new sprocket or we will be fighting it all season. He also got some spraying done while I was gone. He must have been very busy because he managed to get a lot done.

I went to my cousin Ryan's Graduation party while I was in the Willamette Valley. I remember when he was just starting 4-H. He showed pigs and cattle. I visited grandma while there, I always enjoy my talks with her about when she grew up in the Midwest. Her family were also farmers. I guess it is in my blood!

My brother's bull went to visit the neighbors while I was there so I went with him to bring him home. He took his wife, my sister Tracy, and a niece and nephew for help but didn't need us. He was halter broke and with a little encouragement from Justin and a bucket of grain, the two of them got him out of the field and into the trailer.

Shawn decided not to turn the wheel line on in the hay field, with all this rain and the sun we got earlier, it is about ready to cut. This is early for us, people usually get their first cutting around the 4th of July. It is supposed to be pretty warm here this week so it will be ready. We we will cut it ourselves but we haven't found a baler yet so we might have someone else bale it.

With the warmer weather, we can get outside and get busy cleaning things up. With this being such an old place there is plenty of clean up and repairs to do.

Our niece Jessica came home with me for the week. She is my sister's oldest and will be 10 on the 6th of July.

We have work and fun planned for the week!

Location: Lostine, Wallowa County, Oregon

Business: Cattle, crops

Secret weapon: An ag-friendly community with great mentors

Open a tack and feed store

Start a cattle herd

Repair and rejuvenate newly purchased ranch

Adopt a child (Not necessarily in that order)

We had rain the first of the week but the weather slowly got better. We can finally get outside and get something done. I did house work, laundry and got things ready to go to Mom's. I left on Thursday and was gone the rest of the week.